Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-08-24

@sz==:.aALklUNNS
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
usual, for drive, but this time I dared
not let my eyes search the crowd as yestsr>
day, for 1 saw that Mrs. Iceberg was watch
ing me closely.
But suddenly we came to a standstil;
there was a crush Of carriages ahead, and
for some moments we were unable b 60
on. 1t was during this delay 1 suddenly
heard an exclamation, and, turning my
head toward the side from whence it came,
encountered the gaze of one who, for
moment, held me spell-bound with terror
and amazement. Surely / remembered the
hard, ugly face, the keen, gray eyes, the
scant, white hair 1t was, it could be no
other than Miss Armund, who stood gazing
at me, evidently lost in astonishment at
seeing me- for saw at once that she rccog-
nized me, and felt, as l always had, sort
Of fear of her, and now i turned pale,
actually shivering with terror, as ! saw
she was about to alight. What did she
mean to dot
Dut Just at that instant our driver, an
noyed at the delay and seeing the way
cleared at last. gave our horses a sharp cut
with the whip and we were whirled away,
leaving Miss Armund, who had alighted,
looking after US with q vacant stare.
Mrs. Iceberg was too well bred to ask
questions, but saw that she had noted the
whole occurrence and was full of conjecture
as to who the strengthening woman could
have been who had evidently recognized mo
at sight. But did not enlighteu her.
could not, without giving details Il did not
care to disclose, for had hitherto passed as
an orphan, a friend of Mrs. Kent had left,
and whom she had adopted, and no one ever
dreamed of my being founding, reared by
charity; and, though they were kind and
generous people, dared not trust to their
aristocratic ears the true story Of my life,
hoping l could hold my place, as before,
among them. Mrs. Kent, too, had thought
it best to say nothing in regard to my pa
rentage, though she as well as myself
would have scorned to have told a falsehood
concerning it. We merely kept silent,
thereby not committing ourselves to our
friends.
Our drive home was silent and depressed
evidently Mrs. Iceberg expected an ex-
PLANTATION, and was somewhat angry because
it did not come. And / was embarrassed
and vexed that could not give it, and 80 we
arrived home and betook ourselves to our
respective tasks, each feeling hurt at the
other, yet without cause.
| How it would haI . ended / know not.
Il
Iceberg the strange cil" Instances that sur
rounded my intimacy WI Mss Armund, or
whether should have pre- served a sulen
and discreet silence on the subject, I can
not say. But fate had ARRANGED different
explanation for all these pc, v difficulties,
one of which we never dreamcl.
We had arranged to attend the opera that
evening; yet little thought what strange
chain of events were being forged for me,
as finished my toilet, and posed an unneo-
essary length of time before the cheval
glass, viewing the effect of new costume
OF cherry and cream satin whose lustrous
folds glistened in the gas light of the pretty
| room where l stood A vain and thought
less girl after all my hard lessons of power
| ty and seclusion, often found myself won
dering that could be so happy, ], who had
once seemed only born for drudge or to
be perpetual nuisance ever in somebody's
way.
sat down idly after dressing, and 1t be-
| ing early, took up paper and began to
| read it carelessly at first, but finally q name
| struck my eye that made me at once won
| derfully interested-it was the name of
| Irving BarretrE For years had scarcely
thought of the boy, for however his sister
might interest me in regard to her friend
ship with Oliver Dudley, had never o
But imagine my surprise and horror ct
| finding his name at the head Of the criminal
calendar, accused of stabbing fellow stu
dent fatally while engaged In q drunken
earouse. He had fought the officers, so the
paper stated, like wild beast, but had
finally been overpowered and lodged in Jail,
where he now lay awaiting trial.
read the account over twice before j
fairly comprehended that Irving Barrett
was an accused murderer, and very likely
TO suffer the full penalty of the law, as pub
lie opinion seemed much against him. Twas
shocked aud grieved at this, for, though
Irving had ever been my enemy, and his
| proud sister had scorned me as she would
leper, could not but feel this must be .
| terrible blow to her and her naughty mother.
And Bertie, dear, brave, manly little Bertie,
how this keen disgrace would wound HIM
Ny heart ached for him.
But my meditations were brought TO o
close by the entrance of the servant with
| word that all were ready and waiting for
me. hastily donned my cloak and hat and
descended, expecting TO find my escort, Mr..
| Balfour, waiting for me; but, instead,
note had been sent saying he had just re-
ceived a telegram from home announcing
the dangerous illness OF his father and ask
| ing his immediate return; so must excuse
him from attending, though to forego this
pleasure, he said, was disappointment
yet duty to his father came first And
then he had hastily scribbled a goodbye
and strict injunction not to forget him,
though in the exciting scenes that followed
| it is doubtful If thought of him ever
crossed my mind.
The opera-house was filed to overflow
ing. The elite Of the whole city were there,
it seemed, and / gazed over the brilliant
scene where the bright flashes Of diamonds,
the soft glow of silks and satins, waving
plumes, bright faces and lovely forms,
seemed to give it the likeness OF fairy land,
with strange dreamy restfulness, as IL all
care and suffering were lifted for little
while from my heart. 1t was the lull be-
fore the storm, it seemed to me afterwards
With crash the music broke forth, and
all eyes were turned instantly to the stage,
for new star was to sing, and the music
loving world was on the qatt ViN. The first
part was over; there was lull, and then
the curtain, slowly rising, revealed Madam
l., the celebrated singer whose beauty
and music world applauded, standing be-
fore US. To the day of my death shah
never forget that scene. The beautiful
woman in her silken robe glttering with
jewels, the gay bright company who fol-
lowed her every move, are figures that are
stamped on my memory in characters never
to be obliterated. The band played softly
lovely prelude, sweet and soft as the
breezes on banks of violets, and then Nad<
am L. began to sing. Slow, soft and
sweet her voice rose, filing the whole vast
room, when suddenly there was a fiutter, o
murlnur on and near the stage; it grew in
strength, the singer paused, then went On,
but in an instant man sprang on the stage
screaming fire at the top OF his voice. Az